Machipongo, Va - Three U.S. animal rights organizations are urging the news media to balance chicken industry advertising with positive stories about chickens during "National Chicken Month." The groups - United Poultry Concerns (Va), Animal Place (Vacaville, Ca) and the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary (Princess Anne, Md) - propose a counterbalance of features and anecdotes showing the chicken's intelligence, sensitivity, and vitality.

Earlier this year, the celebrated New York Times writer, William Grimes, published a wonderful memoir called My Fine Feathered Friend about Chicken, a hen who magically comes into his life, whom he grew to cherish--and to lose. He says at the end that he hopes to "wake up one morning, look out the back window, and see a large feathered form bustling around the patio, scattering cat food and clucking. . . . Tell her there's a light in the window and a warm nest at the base of the pine tree."

Many people share Grimes' strong emotional attachment to a chicken and have stories to tell about their feathered friends. Here is a short list of people to contact. We can put you in touch with more:

United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. For more information visit www.UPC-online.org